This year's ArtPrize brought some entertaining controversy.
We've got this sculpture. Wikipedia.
Its home plaza is a venue, so it was included in a temporary installation. The new look is comprised of white leaves and flowers affixed with magnets.
Someone in a distant suburb raised a ruckus, and then a couple of local art curators echoed the opinion that this would affect the relationship with The Calder Foundation tm. So it was ordered removed.
Calder-gate was furthered by comments from the grandson.
Calder Foundation reply to Grand Rapids inquiry about ArtPrize entry on "La Grande Vitesse," written to Elizabeth White, the deputy city attorney
Dear Ms. White,
I am not surprised to hear from you, as we too have received dozens of messages surrounding this controversy.
The history of art has been enriched on multiple occasions by temporary interventions or responses to masterpieces by fellow artists; however, its success rests on the intellectual rigor of the dialogue and the intervener's deep understanding of the original work. I regret that neither applies to this unfortunate example.
The addition of poorly rendered imitation Warhol flowers to Calder's magnificent La Grande Vitesse contributes nothing to humanity's understanding of Calder, Warhol, or the role of public art. The public "discussion" surrounding this abomination, which you mention as an element of the project's success, fails to address these issues.
We had chosen to remain silent about this provincial happenstance, as the initiative is luckily temporary and reflects an utter lack of understanding and respect of Calder's genius.
Sincerely,
Alexander S. C. Rower
President
Many of us commenters have been having a field day with the intellectual rigor of this provincial happenstance.
As the campaigner of a Calder-motif tuba bell cover, I decorated it for a luminary parade, adding floral battery lights.
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